DANNY JORDAAN. Picture: The Herald
Nelson Mandela Bay Mayor Danny Jordaan will lay out his plans today for the city for the next financial year when he delivers his first state of the metro address today.
Opposition parties have called on Jordaan to spell out how the city plans to tackle some of its biggest challenges, like jobs, the infrastructure backlog and delivering services speedily.
Jordaan will deliver his address at the Feather Market Centre at about 10am.
DA mayoral candidate Athol Trollip said yesterday Jordaan should apologise to the thousands of residents who still did not have weekly refuse collection.
Trollip wants the mayor to open criminal cases against the officials suspended for alleged fraud and corruption, and immediately set aside safety and security boss Linda Mti’s appointment because of a previous drunkdriving charge.
Only the full council can set aside Mti’s appointment as he was appointed by the council.
“To save the metro from complete collapse, [Jordaan must] commit to the eradication of bucket toilets by the end of 2016,” Trollip said.
“[He must] immediately fill all critical vacancies [out] of the 1 774 vacancies that exist, preventing services from being delivered.
“[He must] suspend the metro police publicity stunt entirely until it meets the prescripts of the law.”
COPE regional chairman Khwezi Ntshanyana said he hoped Jordaan would dwell on what development plans the city would pursue in 2016-17.
“We hope he will give details about the Assistance to the Poor programme announced in the council, and when it will be done, because that needs to be fast- tracked,” Ntshanyana said.
“We hope he will allude to the issue of funded vacancies . . . because it will create employment and fast-track service delivery.”
He said he had been impressed by the pro-poor budget presented and adopted by the council on Tuesday.
“It’s the first time in my term as a councillor that I was convinced and at ease with the budget,” he said.
UDM mayoral candidate Mongameli Bobani said his party would not attend the address as it felt the event was a waste of money.
“He’s just pursuing his campaign to be mayor,” Bobani said.
He said the mayor should shed light on the Fifa bribery scandal, explain what he had done to conclude forensic reports pertaining to the municipality and say how he would turn the city administration around.
“His five golden years will never happen. It’s a pipe dream – the ANC will lose the elections,” Bobani said.
All roads leading to the area around City Hall and the Feather Market Centre are closed. Follow us for live updates:
The post LIVE: Jordaan’s first state of the metro address appeared first on HeraldLIVE.